TCA Names Bertrand Moussel as Chair of the Board

Trusted Connectivity Alliance (TCA) has announced the election of Bertrand Moussel (Valid) as Chair of the Board for 2023-4, as the organisation works to promote eSIM interoperability, advance the use of eSIM technology across emerging IoT use-cases, and support sustainable innovation.

Moussel has served on TCA’s Board since 2016 and succeeds Claus Dietze (Giesecke+Devrient), who has stepped down following three consecutive terms as Chair. Dietze remains on the Board alongside Benoît Collier (IDEMIA), Christian Vignes (STMicroelectronics) and Stephane Quetglas (Thales). The re-election of Cyril Caillaud (NXP Semiconductors) and Jean-Philippe Betoin (Kigen) to the two rotating seats completes the Board for 2023-4.

Commenting on his election, Moussel said: “I would like to firstly acknowledge the significant achievements of my predecessor in leading our organisation over the past three years. Today, our industry stands on the cusp of an incredible opportunity. The full potential of the IoT is starting to be realised as the number of connected devices grows rapidly, with the digitalisation and advancement of secure connectivity technologies and processes opening new horizons for consumers, enterprises and industries.”

“But as connectivity has become foundational to all aspects of the global economy, it is critical to recognise the risks and impact of technology fragmentation, evolving privacy and security considerations, and broader societal and geopolitical trends. TCA is uniquely positioned to bring together key industry stakeholders to address these challenges, and is committed to leveraging collective expertise built over 30 years to drive initiatives that promote trust, simplicity and sustainability across the secure connectivity ecosystem.”

Key strategic priorities for the organisation include:

Promoting eSIM interoperability

TCA continues to build awareness and momentum for the TCA eSIM Interoperability Service – delivered by COMPRION – which enables operators to proactively test that their eSIM profiles are compatible with a wide range of commercially available devices prior to deployment. TCA’s Interoperability Working Group is also developing tools and documentation to improve the interoperability and robustness of eSIM applications, helping to support new eSIM market entrants and promote the delivery of various eSIM-based value-added services.

Advancing the eSIM for IoT

TCA is committed to the ongoing evolution of its Interoperable Profile Package Specification. The latest version of the specification defined a ‘lightweight’ IoT minimal profile to address the growing challenge of remotely managing network-constrained IoT devices and was referenced in GSMA’s eSIM for IoT Technical Specification (SGP.32) – the dedicated, globally-backed remote SIM specification for IoT. TCA will also continue to be a key contributor to GSMA to further guide and support the development of eSIM-related specifications and testing processes.

Supporting sustainable innovation

TCA’s dedicated Sustainability Working Group is examining how the secure connectivity industry can adopt greener practices across supply and value chains. The group is working to define a common methodology for assessing the carbon footprint of SIM and eSIM products across their lifecycles.